Injured Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander flashed his middle finger during Sunday’s game when he noticed a TV camera was filming him and other non-playing teammates in the press box.

The gesture cost him $5,000 on Monday, Jan. 26.

The NHL said he was fined the maximum amount because he violated a policy that ‘prohibits inappropriate and offensive remarks, and the use of obscene, profane or abusive language or gestures in the game.’

“This serves as a reminder the code of conduct governing players extends throughout the arena at NHL games and in public game situations,’ NHL disciplinarian George Parros said in a statement.

Nylander suffered a groin muscle injury on Jan. 15 and went on the injured list on the 19th. Sunday’s game was the fifth one he missed. The last four have been losses.

He apologized on social media on Sunday for his ‘moment of frustration’ and also Monday in person during a meeting with reporters.

‘I’m just not playing,’ he said of why he’s frustrated. ‘I just want to be out there with the guys.’

He said he received a text message right after the gesture was shown on the TV broadcast.

‘I was like, ‘Not a good idea, not a good thing to do,” he said. ‘Like I said, I apologize about that.’

Nylander, who sat out 10 other games with injury this season, said he hopes to return to action during the team’s upcoming road trip, which runs from Jan. 29 to Feb. 3.

He has also been named to Swedish Olympic team.

The wrongful death suit filed by the parents of Katie Meyer against Stanford University has been resolved, the school announced Monday, Jan. 26, in a joint statement from the school and Katie’s family.

Meyer, who led the Stanford women’s soccer team to a national championship in 2019, died by suicide on March 1, 2022.

Meyer, 22 at the time of her death, was found in her dorm at Stanford.

Meyer’s parents sued Stanford in November 2022. The lawsuit, filed with the Santa Clara County Superior Court of California, was scheduled to go to trial later this year.

Meyer’s parents said the school was responsible for their daughter’s death from a disciplinary matter stemming from Katie Meyer either intentionally or accidentally spilling coffee on one of Stanford’s football players.

“Stanford and the family of Katie Meyer are pleased to have reached a resolution in the lawsuit that was filed against the university following Katie’s tragic death in 2022,’’ the university said in a statement issued Monday.

“To honor Katie, Stanford will collaborate with Katie’s family to launch an initiative focused on the mental health and well-being of student-athletes at the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance. Stanford Athletics will establish the Katie Meyer Leadership Award to be given to an exceptional Stanford student-athlete each year. More information on both the initiative at Wu Tsai and the Leadership Award will be provided later this year.’’

Stanford also said it would adopt the principles of Katie Meyer’s Law to provide support to students in its Office of Community disciplinary process. Also, the jersey number worn by Katie while she played soccer at Stanford, #19, will be retired in honor of the impact Katie had on Stanford women’s soccer, according to the statement.

“While Katie’s passing remains devastating and tragic, the memory of her accomplishments and the uplifting influence she had on those who knew her lives on,’ the university said. “Stanford and the Meyer family believe that working together on these initiatives will both honor Katie’s indelible legacy and help current and future students in meaningful ways.’

The coffee incident

At the time Meyer died by suicide, she was facing disciplinary action for allegedly spilling coffee on a Stanford football player in August 2021 while she was riding her bike, according to the complaint filed by Meyer’s parents in Santa Clara County Superior Court.

The football player allegedly sexually assaulted a female soccer player, then a minor, on the Stanford women’s soccer team on which Meyer served as a captain, according to the complaint.

The school filed court documents stating the unnamed football player suffered burns on his back that required medical attention and had kissed one of Meyer’s teammates without consent.

Meyer’s father, Steve, previously told USA TODAY Sports that the disciplinary issue arose from Katie Meyer defending a teammate.

Katie Meyer’s soccer heroics

Meyer, a goaltender, was a captain of the Stanford soccer team her senior year. But her most dramatic performance came during her sophomore season.

During the 2019 NCAA women’s soccer championship between Stanford and North Carolina, the game ended 0-0 after two 10-minute overtime periods before going to penalty kicks.

Stanford won 5-4 on penalty kicks after Meyer saved two shots.

In the semifinal game against UCLA, Meyer saved the penalty kick that helped propel Stanford to a 4-1 victory.

Matter of dispute

Meyer’s parents argued that Stanford mishandled the disciplinary process and failed to provide Katie with adequate support, in part because they were not informed of the matter. The Meyers said their daughter suffered acute stress because the matter meant her degree would be put on hold until the previous disciplinary matter was resolved, which could have prevented her from graduating.

The proceedings grew contentious when the school said Meyer’s parents allowed key information to be destroyed. The school argued it needed the information to demonstrate Meyer’s state of mind at the time of her death, that Stanford was not to blame. The Meyers’ attorneys strongly denied that the parents destroyed any evidence.

Katie Meyer’s Law

A California bill spurred by the death of Meyer became state law in September 2024.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 1575, which requires public colleges and universities to allow students to have an adviser when facing an alleged violation of a student code of conduct.

In a joint statement Monday, Stanford said it “will adopt the principles of Katie Meyer’s Law to provide support to students in its OCS disciplinary process.’’

In order to receive state funds for student financial assistance, the schools must ‘adopt a policy permitting a student to be assisted by an adviser if the student receives a notification of an alleged violation of … a student code of conduct.’

The bill was an outgrowth of Katie’s Save, a non-profit established by the Meyers, who traveled across the country talking about the initiative they hope will become law in all 50 states.

This story has been updated with new information.

The NBA announced its pool of participants for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars game on Peacock on Monday, Jan. 26. Twenty-one players – 10 rookies and 11 sophomores – along with seven G Leaguers were chosen to represent the future of the NBA to tip-off All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles on Feb. 13.

The rookies are headlined by 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, who has looked every bit the franchise centerpiece the Dallas Mavericks were in desperate need of after shipping out Luka Doncic a year ago. Memphis Grizzlies emerging wing Cedric Coward is also in the pool, along with the New Orleans’ Pelicans’ duo of breakout stars Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.

Stephon Castle has established himself as a solid running mate for San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama; he’s among the sophomores selected. So is Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, who has stepped up from his early season struggles in the absence of Fred VanVleet.

The players will be drafted into three teams on Tuesday, Jan. 27 with a fourth comprised entirely of G League players. Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Austin Rivers will serve as the coaches for each team.

Here is the full list of players they will be picking from:

2026 NBA Rising Stars roster

Here is every player named to the Rising Stars game:

Rookies

• Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies
• Egor Demin, Brooklyn Nets
• V.J. Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers
• Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans
• Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks
• Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs
• Tre Johnson, Washington Wizards
• Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets
• Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors
• Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans

Sophomores

• Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
• Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
• Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
• Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards
• Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
• Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
• Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies
• Jalon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers
• Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat
• Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies

G League

• Sean East, Salt Lake City Stars
• Ron Harper Jr., Maine Celtics
• David Jones Garcia, Austin Spurs
• Yanic Konan Niederhauser, San Diego Clippers
• Alijah Martin, Raptors 905
• Tristen Newton, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
• Yang Hansen, Rip City Remix

Rising Stars format

Four teams of seven players each will face off in a mini tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) on Friday, Feb. 13 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

Dabo Swinney went scorched earth late last week, decrying the ills of college football and the absurdity of those in charge ignoring the obvious. 

He laid out the most damning of all tampering allegations against Ole Miss. He called out a head coach and player by name. 

“This is about protecting our program,” Swinney said Jan. 23. “This is about college football.”

Meanwhile, two days before the national championship game, Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich stumped for no salary cap in college football. A free, open market. 

On the same day — an incredible coincidence, I know — Duke quarterback Darian Mensah backed out of the second year of a two-year deal with the Blue Devils, and entered the transfer portal.

Guess which program, after having spent more money on one-year quarterback deals than any other in the free player movement era, desperately needs a quarterback for 2026?

I have no idea if Miami tampered with Mensah, and frankly, I don’t care. Because if the NCAA isn’t going to police it, they’re allowing it. 

We’ve officially entered the if you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’ era of college football. 

And that brings us all the way back to Clemson, which hasn’t been the same program since the NCAA flew open the doors to NIL and free player movement in 2021 and left every man for himself.

Clemson has lost 20 games in the five NIL seasons to date — after losing 18 games in the 10 years prior while battling in the high rent district with Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia. A 2025 season of national title expectations ended with a loss to an untethered Penn State team in a meaningless bowl game. 

The half-decade of falling back to the pack has officially hit rock bottom. And now — an incredible coincidence, I know — here come the allegations of tampering against Ole Miss coach Pete Golding. 

Buy IU championship books, prints

Swinney laid out the allegations like it was next-level stuff, only it’s not. If you want to know why Clemson hasn’t looked like Clemson since getting thumped by Ohio State in the 2020 College Football Playoff semifinals, the answer is simple. 

Clemson isn’t competing at the same, whatever-it-takes level when it comes to player procurement.

Swinney was floored that Golding allegedly kept recruiting linebacker Luke Ferrelli long after Ferrelli left California at the end of the 2025 season and committed to Clemson. Couldn’t believe that Golding, allegedly, was texting Ferrelli in class and trying to get him to flip. 

Wouldn’t you know it, in this Wild, Wild West world of free player movement and cash is king, Ferrelli jumped at the better offer and switched his commitment to Ole Miss. For those scoring at home, it went like this: 

• January 7: Ferrelli commits to Clemson. 
• January 16: Ferrelli re-enters the transfer portal.
• January 22: Ferrelli commits to Ole Miss. 

As much as I’d love to side with Swinney on this, we now have a clear, unobstructed view into Clemson’s regression from the national elite. Everyone knows the rules to this absurd money grab of free player movement, and Clemson refuses to play by them.

And by rules, I mean no rules at all. 

Swinney says Golding spoke to Ferrelli, and that Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and former quarterback Jaxson Dart called Ferrelli. Even alleged Golding sent Ferrelli a photo of a check for $1 million.

Ole Miss pushed the envelope and Clemson didn’t push back — until after the fact. Until after Ferrelli decided to go with the best offer, and leave Clemson with a significant hole in its defense.

Look, there’s nothing pretty or practical about this new era of the game. It’s unseemly and unsettling and has run off far lesser coaches than Swinney. Good men who refuse to get dirty to get better. 

“We have a broken system,” Swinney said. “If there are no consequences for tampering, then we have no rules and we have no governance.”

There hasn’t been rules and governance for five years now, no matter what the NCAA rulebook says. While there’s a bylaw against tampering, if you’re not pushing the envelope at every possible angle while recruiting, you’re left behind. 

There’s a reason Ole Miss, which has never even played in the SEC championship game, was playing in the CFP semifinals while big, bad Clemson was still thawing out from a brutal bowl game in the Bronx. 

Ole Miss is 52-15 in the NIL era, including its first CFP season of 2025. Clemson is 47-20, despite playing in a significantly easier conference.

Ole Miss was 61-61 in the 10 years prior to the advent of NIL and free player movement, and Clemson was 121-18 — with two national titles and six CFP appearances.

One team presses the new recruiting envelope as well as any program in college football. The other sits around and complains about the transfer portal, and how college football isn’t what it once was. 

In the irony of ironies, by exposing Ole Miss for allegedly tampering with a player, Clemson pulled back the curtain on its fall from the national elite. 

If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’. 

The top-ranked team in men’s college basketball will put its undefeated record to perhaps its stiffest test yet on Monday night.

Entering the matchup with a 20-0 record, No. 1 Arizona will hit the road to take on freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa and No. 13 BYU at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah on Jan. 26.

Watch Arizona vs. BYU live with Fubo (free trial)

The Wildcats are one of three undefeated remaining Division I teams, and only two with an unblemished record from a power conference (Nebraska being the other). Along with Duke, they’re also one of only two teams ranked in the top five nationally in offensive and defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

Freshmen Koa Peat and Brayden Burries have led the way for coach Tommy Lloyd’s team, averaging 14.7 and 14.6 points per game, respectively.

They’ll take on a BYU team that has won 14 of its past 15 games, the last of which was a 91-78 victory against rival Utah. In that win, Dybantsa poured in a career-high 43 points. Projected by some as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Dybantsa is averaging 23.6 points per game this season, tied for the second-highest mark among Division I players.

USA TODAY Sports will be providing live updates from the game between Arizona and BYU basketball. Follow along for updates:

Arizona vs BYU live score

This section will be updated throughout the game

Arizona vs BYU live updates

This section will be updated closer to tipoff.

Arizona vs BYU start time today

• Time: 9 p.m. ET (7 p.m. MT)
• Date: Monday, Jan. 26
• Location: Marriott Center (Provo, Utah)

What channel is Arizona vs BYU on today?

• TV channel: ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN app ∣ Fubo (free trial)

Arizona vs BYU predictions, picks, odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Monday, Jan. 26

• Spread: Arizona (-1.5)
• Over/under: 166.5
• Moneyline: Arizona (-125) ∣ BYU (+105)

Prediction: BYU 81, Arizona 79

The Cougars have been a machine at home this season, with a 9-0 record at the Marriott Center, including a 3-0 mark in Big 12 play. With a spirited home crowd and the best player on the court in Dybantsa, they’ll edge a Wildcats team that hasn’t played a team ranked inside the KenPom top 40 in six weeks.

The partnership between the UFC and Paramount+ is off to an impressive start.

The UFC’s debut on Paramount+ Jan. 24 delivered nearly five million streaming views and over seven million households, according to a news release issued by Paramount, the UFC’s new exclusive streaming partner.

The event, UFC 324, reached more homes than any other live UFC event in nearly a decade across linear, broadcast and streaming, according to Paramount, which cited Adobe Analytics and Nielsen Media as sources.

Paramount, which charges a subscription fee that starts at $8.99, is distributing the fights in the United States and Latin American without per-per-view fees that were charged by ESPN over the past seven years.

UFC signed a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount+, which replaced ESPN.

UFC delivered big inside the Octagon, too. A night of entertaining fights culminated with a riveting five-round bout between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett. Gaethje prevailed by unanimous decision and won the interim lightweight title.

It’s the time of the season when NBA teams are taking stock and figuring out if they need to go all-in.

With the NBA trade deadline a little more than a week away, contenders are going to assess the market and see if there are capitalistic chances to strengthen any deficiencies on their roster.

And with that, there’s a new No. 1 on our weekly power rankings, as the Oklahoma City Thunder have shown some weakness recently, going 13-9 since Dec. 13, after they had blasted off to a 24-1 record to start the season.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA power rankings after Week 13 of the 2025-26 regular season:

USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings

Note: Records and stats through Jan. 25. Parentheses show movement from last week’s rankings.

NBA Week 14 power rankings: Top 10

1. Detroit Pistons, 33-11 (+1)

2. Oklahoma City Thunder, 37-10 (-1)

3. Denver Nuggets, 31-15 (+1)

4. San Antonio Spurs, 31-15 (-1)

5. Boston Celtics, 28-17 (—)

6. Toronto Raptors, 29-19 (+1)

7. Houston Rockets, 27-16 (+1)

8. Los Angeles Lakers, 27-17 (+2)

9. New York Knicks, 27-18 (+2)

10. Cleveland Cavaliers, 27-20 (+3)

The battle for the top spot here is extremely close. The Thunder have one fewer loss and four more victories than the Pistons, but Oklahoma City has shown recent vulnerabilities, losing consecutive home games for the first time since Nov. 3 … of 2023! The Pistons, meanwhile, have won eight of their last 10 and have posted the NBA’s top defensive rating (101.7) over that span. The Raptors are proving they’re no fluke with Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram starring in key recent wins over the Thunder and Warriors, though it’s guard Immanuel Quickley who has shined most, earning Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors. And the Cavaliers have shaken off their slow start to slowly climb up the standings.

NBA Week 14 power rankings: Nos. 11-20

11. Golden State Warriors, 26-21 (+3)

12. Minnesota Timberwolves, 27-19 (-3)

13. Phoenix Suns, 27-19 (-7)

14. Philadelphia 76ers, 24-20 (-2)

15. Miami Heat, 25-22 (+1)

16. Chicago Bulls, 23-22 (+2)

17. Portland Trail Blazers, 23-23 (—)

18. Los Angeles Clippers, 21-24 (+1)

19. Orlando Magic, 23-21 (-4)

20. Atlanta Hawks, 22-25 (—)

Despite the injury to Jimmy Butler, the Warriors pulled off a massive win against a struggling Timberwolves squad that has lost five consecutive games. Over those last five, Minnesota ranks 26th in offensive rating (107.8), which is well below its season average (116.6; seventh). The Suns had been rolling but a sprained ankle to star Devin Booker has derailed their momentum a touch – though Booker shouldn’t be out long. The Clippers are surging and have gone 15-3 since Dec. 20, forcing a fan to eat his words — literally.

NBA Week 14 power rankings: Nos. 21-30

21. Dallas Mavericks, 19-27 (+2)

22. Charlotte Hornets, 18-28 (+2)

23. Memphis Grizzlies, 18-25 (-2)

24. Milwaukee Bucks, 18-26 (-2)

25. Utah Jazz, 15-31 (—)

26. New Orleans Pelicans, 12-36 (+4)

27. Brooklyn Nets, 12-32 (—)

28. Indiana Pacers, 11-35 (—)

29. Sacramento Kings, 12-35 (-2)

30. Washington Wizards, 10-34 (-1)

Despite injuries, the Mavericks have been stellar; Cooper Flagg (ankle) avoided a significant absence, and he’s improving with each passing week. With Giannis Antetokounmpo now set to miss at least a month and his future with Milwaukee uncertain, this is quickly becoming a lost season for the Bucks, who almost certainly won’t be buyers at the deadline. The Kings have lost five consecutive games and are a strong candidate to sell during the trading window. Two young teams headed in a problematic direction are the Jazz (-13.0) and Nets (-13.9), who have the worst net ratings in January.

The 2026 MLB season begins on March 25. That’s little more than two months away, and while everyone assumes the Los Angeles Dodgers are destined to three-peat, the bright side is that everyone is already looking to 2027 and beyond.

Looking so far ahead is difficult though. We don’t know how players will age. We don’t know what trades or free agent acquisitions will be made. We don’t even know whether or not there will be a lockout when the current CBA expires on Dec. 1 this year.

The only decent indication we have of each team’s future is their farm system. The teams with the best farm systems often become the best teams in the league soon after. The Chicago Cubs had one of the best in the league prior to their World Series title in 2016. The Tampa Bay Rays were near the top for much of the transition between the 2010’s and 2020’s. The Baltimore Orioles had the best for several years before finally breaking through in 2024, even if they fell apart just one year later.

So, looking ahead to the second half of the decade, which teams are set for contention? Here’s every MLB team’s farm system ranked from worst to best entering the 2026 season.

Power ranking all 30 MLB farm systems

*Prospect rankings listed via MLB.com

30) San Diego Padres

Top 5 prospects:

• C Ethan Salas (No. 77 on MLB.com’s Top 100)
• LHP Kruz Schoolcraft (No. 95)
• RHP Humberto Cruz
• LHP Kash Mayfield
• RHP Miguel Mendez

The Padres basically gutted their farm system last year at the trade deadline, with their biggest prospects, Leo De Vries being shipped to the Athletics in the deal for Mason Miller. The Padres have some players who could wind up becoming franchise stalwarts in the future but outside of Salas, Schoolcraft, and Mayfield, there isn’t much to love about San Diego’s future.

29) Los Angeles Angels

Top 5 prospects:

• RHP Tyler Bremmer (No. 91)
• RHP Ryan Johnson (No. 96)
• RHP George Klassen
• LHP Johnny Slawinski
• SS Joswa Lugo

The Angels reached for Tyler Bremmer at No. 2 overall, and he is widely considered their top prospect. That’s not a great combination unless Bremmer can break out and exceed the expectations he had prior to being drafted. Another one of the organization’s top prospects, Caden Dana, also experienced some setbacks a season ago. For a team prone to calling up their prospects much earlier than they should, that’s a very unfortunate situation and could further delay the team’s rebuild.

28) Houston Astros

Top 5 prospects:

• 2B Brice Matthews (No. 93)
• SS Xavier Neyens
• C Walker Janek
• RHP Miguel Ullola
• OF Joseph Sullivan

Losing Jacob Melton in the Brandon Lowe trade is a huge blow to the Astros’ farm system, which was already rated lowly to begin with. While Melton didn’t have a spectacular stint in the big leagues, slashing just .157/.234/.186 in 32 games for Houston, we’d yet to see how he could perform in a full season. Now, Houston is forced to lean on guys like Janek and Kevin Alvarez who have potential but have yet to establish themselves as legitimate fanbase-inspiring prospects.

27) Atlanta Braves

Top 5 prospects:

• LHP Cam Caminiti (No. 72)
• RHP JR Ritchie (No. 86)
• SS/OF Tate Southisene
• SS Alex Lodise
• LHP Briggs McKenzie

The lack of depth in the Braves’ farm system is really showing here. The team had a great crop of young talent get called up a season ago including Drake Baldwin, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Hurston Waldrep, but outside of those guys, the Braves didn’t have much else to lean on in 2025. Now, heading into the 2026 season, the team didn’t do really anything to quell those concerns. Luckily for the Braves, most of their key players are locked up for a while, so the farm system isn’t much of an issue … for now.

26) Kansas City Royals

Top 5 prospects:

• C Carter Jensen (No. 39)
• C Blake Mitchell (No. 62)
• OF/2B Sean Gamble
• 3B Josh Hammond
• SS Yandel Ricardo

It’s hard to have faith in this team’s farm considering Jensen will be on the big league team sooner rather than later. Even with Jensen though, this team’s system lacks sustained star power. Sean Gamble doesn’t possess any attributes that really pop out of the stat sheet. Hammond likely won’t be ready for the majors anytime soon, and Ricardo is 18 years old and struggled in A-ball. There’s potential down the line, and Jensen is a stud, but they might have a dry spell of great prospects coming to the big leagues for a few years.

25) Texas Rangers

Top 5 prospects:

• SS/3B Sebastian Walcott (No. 6)
• SS Gavin Fien
• RHP Jose Corniell
• RHP Winston Santos
• RHP AJ Russell

The Rangers have some potential with their group of prospects considering many of their young pitchers were highly touted, even cracking MLB’s top-100 prospect list before small stints of poor play and suffering injuries that derailed their 2025 campaigns. If guys like Santos, Alejandro Rosario, and even Emiliano Teodo can bounce back, there’s reason to be excited. Obviously, Walcott is a stud, but he’s the only sure thing the Rangers have currently.

24) New York Yankees

Top 5 prospects:

• SS/2B George Lombard Jr. (No. 25)
• RHP Carlos Lagrange (No. 74)
• RHP Elmer Rodriguez (No. 97)
• OF Spencer Jones (No. 99)
• RHP Bryce Cunningham

Despite four players in MLB’s top-100 prospect list, the Yankees don’t have anyone outside of Lombard who has proven capable of sustaining such success. Spencer Jones smacked 35 home runs in Double and Triple-A last year, but his previous best was just 17. We’ll need to see more from him, Lagrange, and Rodriguez before we’re ready to rank the Yankees any higher.

23) Colorado Rockies

Top 5 prospects:

• SS Ethan Holliday (No. 19)
• 1B/OF Charlie Condon (No. 61)
• OF/SS Cole Carrigg
• OF Robert Calaz
• RHP Brody Brecht

Everyone lauds Ethan Holliday as this marvelous prospect. He is, but we can’t forget just how many lumps his brother Jackson has taken in the majors. He’s yet to really be an above average player for the Orioles. All that is to say that it might be some time before Ethan Holliday makes an impact for the club. That said, the team did pick up solid left-handed pitching prospect Griffin Herring at the trade deadline, and guys like Calaz and Carrigg have shown flashes of star potential if they can put all of their tools together.

22) Arizona Diamondbacks

Top 5 prospects:

• OF Ryan Waldschmidt (No. 66)
• OF Slade Caldwell
• SS Kayson Cunningham
• 2B/3B Demetrio Crisantes
• 2B/OF Tommy Troy

Much of the Diamondbacks’ farm system lies in the strength of their 2024 draft haul. Waldschmidt has been an offensive juggernaut at every level he’s played in. Slade Caldwell has a great gap-to-gap swing which has allowed him to rack up extra-base hits in A and High-A ball. JD Dix hit .342 in rookie ball last year. And Daniel Eagen posted a sub-2.5 ERA in 97.2 innings of High-A last year. There’s reason to be optimistic moving forward, but it would be a shock to see many of these players make an impact at the big league level before 2027.

21) San Francisco Giants

Top 5 prospects:

• 1B Bryce Eldridge (No. 12)
• SS Josuar Gonzalez (No. 82)
• 2B/SS Gavin Kilen
• SS Jhonny Level
• OF Bo Davidson

The Giants had legitimate depth in their farm system going into the 2026 offseason, then they added the No. 1 international prospect in Luis Hernandez as well. That’s a major get for a team that has struggled to produce home grown talent for the last decade. Eldridge is expected to be a massive bat right away for the Giants in 2026, and although the team lacks star pitchers in their farm, the team needs young position players considering Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers are all 29 or older.

20) St. Louis Cardinals

Top 5 prospects:

• SS/2B/3B JJ Wetherholt (No. 5)
• LHP Liam Doyle (No. 36)
• C Rainiel Rodriguez (No. 55)
• C Leonardo Bernal (No. 92)
• LHP Quinn Mathews

What’s not seen in this top-five above is that the Cardinals have another strong catching prospect in their system in Jimmy Crooks, who appeared in 15 games for the Cardinals last season. The team has depth at a very key position and it’s kind of shocking that they didn’t make any moves by dealing one of those players. Even with down seasons for players like Tink Hence and Quinn Mathews, the Cardinals have more than a few prospects with stellar upside and could probably make a move or two to make themselves more competitive in 2026.

19) Washington Nationals

Top 5 prospects:

• SS Eli Willits (No. 15)
• C Harry Ford (No. 42)
• RHP Travis Sykora (No. 49)
• RHP Jarlin Susana (No. 87)
• RHP Luis Perales

The addition of Harry Ford really propels this team forward. Without him, this is a team that has sunk a lot of assets into unproven talent with recent draft picks Willits, Petry, Harmon, James, and Sime each earning more than $2 million in signing bonuses.

18) Toronto Blue Jays

Top 5 prospects:

• RHP Trey Yesavage (No. 26)
• SS JoJo Parker (No. 43)
• SS Arjun Nimmala (No. 68)
• LHP Ricky Tiedemann
• LHP Johnny King

The Blue Jays lost some depth at the trade deadline last year, dealing guys like Khal Stephenand Juaron Watts-Brown, but Trey Yesavage also put together a monster postseason run, still classifying as a prospect. One hit from a prospect pool is a big plus in my books as very few players are every sure-fire hits. Yesavage looked like a future star and that alone is enough to push Toronto up a few spots in these rankings.

17) Cincinnati Reds

Top 5 prospects:

• INF Sal Stewart (No. 31)
• C Alfredo Duno (No. 48)
• SS Tyson Lewis (No. 76)
• SS Steele Hall (No. 79)
• RHP Rhett Lowder (No. 80)

Sal Stewart and Rhett Lowder have both flashed significant potential in limited MLB action for Cincinnati, but Stewart still only posted a 102 OPS+ and Lowder is coming off a rather severe injury, so it’s yet to be seen if either can create long-term impact.

16) Miami Marlins

Top 5 prospects:

• LHP Thomas White (No. 22)
• SS Aiva Arquette (No. 41)
• OF Owen Caissie (No. 47)
• LHP Robby Snelling (No. 51)
• C Joe Mack (No. 70)

MLB is underrating Thomas White in my opinion. This man could be the top pitching prospect in baseball. He’s succeeded at every level, and even is just 20 years old. He made a brief appearance in Triple-A last season and was striking out 16.4 batters per nine innings. That is insane. Just nutty stuff. That said, I’m not sold on most of the other players in this system. Arquette didn’t wow anyone in his first year in the minors. Caissie was the big name in the Edward Cabrera deal, but he spent nearly two full seasons in Triple-A, didn’t show much improvement between 2024 and 2025 (but he did display a bit more pop) and then struggled in limited MLB action. There’s a reason the Cubs gave him away. That’s all I’ll say.

15) Chicago White Sox

Top 5 prospects:

• OF Braden Montgomery (No. 35)
• LHP Noah Schultz (No. 40)
• SS Billy Carlson (No. 71)
• SS/3B Caleb Bonemer (No. 73)
• LHP Hagen Smith (No. 88)

MLB.com isn’t considering Munetaka Murakami a prospect I guess, which is weird considering they counted Roki Sasaki for the Dodgers a year ago. If Murakami was on this list, the White Sox would have legitimate top-10, maybe top-7 considerations. Still, even without their Japanese slugger, the White Sox have tons of solid talent scheduled to come up in 2026, 2027, and 2028. While they don’t currently have someone who stands out as a potential MLB superstar, they have a well of talent that should continue to improve the team for years.

14) Chicago Cubs

Top 5 prospects:

• C Moises Ballesteros (No. 53)
• RHP Jaxon Wiggins (No. 67)
• SS/2B Jefferson Rojas
• OF Kevin Alcantara
• OF Ethan Conrad

Even without Caissie, I like this team moving forward. They were very well-prepared for the departure of Kyle Tucker in free agency, with Alcantara ready to take over the starting right field job. Ballesteros also flashed remarkable potential in 20 games with the Cubs at the end of 2025. Essentially, the Cubs don’t have a plethora of top-100 talent and lost Caissie, but they have a lot of pieces ready to fill in for anyone who might suffer an injury or get traded and they likely won’t see much of a dip in production.

13) Philadelphia Phillies

Top 5 prospects:

• RHP Andrew Painter (No. 16)
• SS Aidan Miller (No. 32)
• OF Justin Crawford (No. 54)
• RHP Gage Wood
• 2B Aroon Escobar

When a guy with a 5.40 ERA in Triple-A is being heralded as the next big pitching prospect, there’s reason to be concerned. Painter was coming off Tommy John surgery, but there were more reasons to be skeptical about his potential moving forward. If he has a rough start to 2026, this team could fall much further down these rankings. Still, the questions surrounding Painter are mostly offset by breakout seasons from guys like Aroon Escobar, who managed an .828 OPS in A-ball from second base. That’s something to keep an eye on.

12) Athletics

Top 5 prospects:

• SS Leo De Vries (No. 3)
• LHP Jamie Arnold (No. 38)
• LHP Gage Jump (No. 60)
• RHP Brade Nett
• OF Henry Bolte

The addition of Leo De Vries did wonders for this team’s farm. Sure, losing Mason Miller hurts, but it bolsters this team’s future drastically, which is good considering they want to be great for their first year in Vegas. There were far more breakout seasons than there were setbacks in the A’s system altogether. That’s a recipe for succcess when guys like Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson have already made valuable impacts at the major league level.

11) New York Mets

Top 5 prospects:

• RHP Nolan McLean (No. 11)
• OF Carson Benge (No. 21)
• RHP Jonah Tong (No. 46)
• 3B/1B Jacob Reimer
• OF/2B A.J. Ewing

It’s shocking to see how the Mets’ farm system has turned on its head in the past year. Brandon Sproat was supposed to be the top guy in the organization, and he didn’t experience a bad year per se in 2025, posting a 4.24 ERA in Triple-A before having a brief, mediocre stint in the majors. But he’s not even on the team anymore after the Mets traded him and Jett Williams to Milwaukee.

Thankfully for Mets fans, the team saw several of their mid-tier prospects break out in unexpected ways. Benge, McLean, Tong, Ewing, and Reimer all exceed expectations, which has set them up very nicely for the immediate future, and enabled them to make the move for Freddy Peralta without their farm system suffering too drastically for it.

10) Boston Red Sox

Top 5 prospects:

• SS Franklin Arias (No. 24)
• LHP Payton Tolle (No. 28)
• RHP Kyson Witherspoon (No. 89)
• LHP Connelly Early
• OF Justin Gonzales

Many people believed the Red Sox farm would fall off after graduating guys like Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer last season. However, the team enjoyed a plethora of breakouts, particularly from Payton Tolle. Pitching certainly won’t be a problem for this team for years to come.

9) Baltimore Orioles

Top 5 prospects:

• C/1B Samuel Basallo (No. 7)
• OF Dylan Beavers (No. 83)
• C/OF Ike Irish
• OF Enrique Bradfield Jr.
• SS Wehiwa Aloy

A little top-heavy, it’s hard to rank the Orioles lower than top 10 considering how good and how ready for the bigs Samuel Basallo is. The Orioles certainly have depth but will need more consistency from their mid-tier prospects before anyone is ready to consider them a true powerhouse farm system again.

8) Tampa Bay Rays

Top 5 prospects:

• SS Carson Williams (No. 50)
• OF Theo Gillen (No. 65)
• RHP Brody Hopkins
• OF Jacob Melton
• SS Daniel Pierce

Another year, another great haul of prospects for the Rays. The addition of Jacob Melton just added to an already loaded farm. The Rays do lack some pithing depth, particularly southpaws, as not a single lefty cracks their top-30 prospects, but outside of that, this team has such a ‘next man up’ attitude and great developmental program that you can’t really knock them too much.

7) Minnesota Twins

Top 5 prospects:

• OF Walker Jenkins (No. 10)
• SS Kaelen Culpepper (No. 52)
• C Eduardo Tait (No. 57)
• OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (No. 69)
• LHP Kendry Rojas

Considering the fire sale the Twins endured in 2025, you’d hope they have a good farm system now. Thankfully, they do, the addition of guys like Mick Abel, Kendry Rojas, and Eduardo Tait mark a serious shift in the outlook for this team’s future.

6) Cleveland Guardians

Top 5 prospects:

• 2B Travis Bazzana (No. 17)
• OF Chase DeLauter (No. 58)
• SS Angel Genao (No. 59)
• C Cooper Ingle
• OF Jaison Chourio

For a team that was in the playoffs a year ago, it’s easy to forget they actually bolstered their farm system by playing the role of ‘seller’ at the trade deadline, shipping Shane Bieber to Toronto for Khal Stephen. Stephen struggled in Double-A for Cleveland, but has the tools necessary to be a strong major league arm. He’s still only 22 and doesn’t walk people much. His strikeout numbers could stand to improve though.

5) Pittsburgh Pirates

Top 5 prospects:

• SS/OF Konnor Griffin (No. 1)
• RHP Bubba Chandler (No. 14)
• RHP Seth Hernandez (No. 27)
• LHP Hunter Barco (No. 78)
• OF/1B Edward Florentino (No. 81)

Griffin and Chandler are the truth. They were already on the team heading into the 2025 trade deadline. Then they added Rafael Flores Jr. and Sammy Stafura at the deadline? Yeah, this team has a bright future, meaning they’ll have a three-year window of playoff contention before all their best players sign with the Dodgers, thus beginning another 10-year rebuild.

4) Detroit Tigers

Top 5 prospects:

• SS Kevin McGonigle (No. 2)
• OF Max Clark (No. 8)
• C/1B Josue Briceño (No. 33)
• SS Bryce Rainer (No. 37)
• C/1B Thayron Liranzo

Everyone knows how great the top four prospects in this system are, but they have some potential further down as well. A player a lot of people have noticed is Cris Rodriguez who slashed a stellar .308/.340/.564 at 17 years old in the Dominican Summer League.

3) Milwaukee Brewers

Top 5 prospects:

• SS/2B Jesus Made (No. 4)
• INF Luis Peña (No. 18)
• SS/OF/2B Jett Williams (No. 30)
• SS Cooper Pratt (No. 56)
• C Jeferson Quero (No. 84)

Jesus Made and Luis Peña emerged as two of the best international prospects in baseball last season. They were already highly touted and then each enjoyed an OPS of .760 or better in A-ball. Oh, they’re also each entering their age-19 seasons.

Furthermore, while the loss of Freddy Peralta obviously hurts the team, the additions of the Mets’ No. 3 and 5 prospects in Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat gives the farm system a huge boost.

2) Los Angeles Dodgers

Top 5 prospects:

• OF Josue De Paula (No. 13)
• OF Zyhir Hope (No. 20)
• OF Eduardo Quintero (No. 34)
• SS/3B Alex Freeland (No. 45)
• OF Mike Sirota (No. 64)

The rich get richer. Look at it. This is what baseball has become. It wasn’t enough for them to give out $1.2 billion in guaranteed money, they had to have a tremendous scouting department as well. On the bright side, most of these guys will likely get traded away for proven MLB-ready talent.

1) Seattle Mariners

Top 5 prospects:

• SS/3B Colt Emerson (No. 9)
• LHP Kade Anderson (No. 23)
• OF Lazaro Montes (No. 29)
• RHP Ryan Sloan (No. 44)
• 2B Michael Arroyo (No. 63)

The impressive part of the Mariners’ farm system is that they built it quietly and have put themselves in position to have a steady influx of highly-touted talent join the team for years to come. While the loss of Harry Ford certainly stings a little bit, the Mariners already have a decent catcher (in case you hadn’t noticed) and just added Luke Stevenson via the draft, who enjoyed a very solid year in A-ball, slashing .280/.460/.400.

The Cleveland Browns have a Pro Bowl quarterback.

It’s a statement that hasn’t been true since 2008, when Derek Anderson got the nod to be part of the NFL’s all-star game.

Now, Shedeur Sanders is set to join that short list. The rookie quarterback has been selected as a replacement player for the AFC team in the 2026 Pro Bowl Games, per multiple reports. It was a move necessitated by a vacancy created by the New England Patriots’ Drake Maye, who will be playing in Super Bowl 60.

Sanders is part of an AFC quarterback group that includes the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen and Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert, who could also require a replacement after getting surgery in December to repair a fracture in his hand.

The news sent shockwaves through the NFL world, given that the fifth-round rookie finished outside the top-10 in fan voting and wasn’t named as an alternate.

Here’s the reasoning behind Sanders’ Pro Bowl selection.

Why is Shedeur Sanders going to the Pro Bowl?

Sanders was selected as a replacement for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games.

The exact process for Sanders’ inclusion is not known, given that the league doesn’t reveal the process for selecting alternates beyond the initial list. Only four AFC quarterbacks ranked in the top-10 for fan voting – Allen, Maye, Patrick Mahomes and Bo Nix.

That is what led to Herbert getting the nod for one of the three AFC spots. Maye’s spot was opened up after New England earned a spot in the Super Bowl. Mahomes and Nix are both out with injuries, forcing the league to move further down the list of AFC quarterbacks.

Even with those absences, there are still other signal callers in the conference that could be considered more deserving of the spot.

Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and Aaron Rodgers are some of the bigger names that didn’t make the cut, but they could’ve turned down the opportunity if offered.

Regardless, the selection of Sanders remains shocking after his rookie season.

The quarterback was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and only started the final seven games of the season, leading his team to a 3-4 record. He completed just 56.6% of passes, tossing seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Sanders’ 68.1 passer rating is the 15th-lowest ever logged by a Pro Bowl quarterback since the Super Bowl era began in 1966, per Stathead. A total of 440 Pro Bowl quarterback selections have been made during that period to date, including Sanders.

When is the Pro Bowl 2026?

The 2026 Pro Bowl Games are slated for Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Where is the Pro Bowl 2026?

The 2026 Pro Bowl Games will be held at Moscone Center in San Francisco, just days before Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

It marks a change of venue, given that the Pro Bowl Games had been played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida each of the last two seasons, regardless of the Super Bowl site.

Pro Bowl selection process

The NFL Pro Bowl rosters are determined by votes from fans, coaches and players.

Each group’s votes count for one-third of the tally. Voting for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games opened on Nov. 27, 2025. Fan voting closed on Dec. 15, with ballots being worth double for the final two days. Coaches and players had until Dec. 19 to cast their ballots.

A total of 88 players, 44 from each conference, are selected for the event.